Being Yours
by Evensong3
Summary: Basically, there's a Natsu-Ren-paparazzi-problem. Ren and Kyoko are forced to go out and their nerves make them drink...a lot. My answer to the Skip Beat! Marrying challenge. Hope you like it!
1. Chapter 1: Possession

Chapter 1: Possession

A beautiful young woman with cold, golden eyes sauntered down the hallway towards her friends. Despite the happy buzzing of classmates all around her, she seemed uninterested, bored even. No one made eye contact with her, but cold shivers ran down their spines when she passed. It was like she was a ghost.

When she neared her friends, one of them looked up and smiled easily. "Ah! Natsu. You're early," she observed.

"Hm? Oh." For the first time, she noticed the clock on the far wall. "Yeah, I suppose I am."

"Well it is graduation," another piped up. She was the shortest of all of them and had long, wavy blonde hair. "Who wouldn't be excited?"

"…Graduation?" Natsu repeated, thinking. "That's…today?"

"Yep. Wait, don't tell me you forgot!"

Natsu paused and looked at her friend, then smiled. "Maybe for a second. I was a little…_distracted_ this morning."

A horror movie scream bounced off the walls and tiles. "PLEASE! SOMEBODY! GET ME OUT OF HERE!"

All three girls blinked, then looked at Natsu. "Didn't want to invite us to this party?"

She giggled coldly. "Don't worry. It's barely even started yet."

The lights above them started flickering and everyone in the hallway started looking around confusedly, even Natsu. Then everything went completely dark. There was a loud crash and someone yelled, "Shit! Oh my God, is everyone all right? One of the lights came loose."

"Hina-san, go get some flashlights! Everyone else, stay where you are, got it? Don't move."

Everyone stood completely still. Eventually, five circles of light began to shine around the set. Finally, one landed on Kyoko.

She was lying on the floor in a crumpled heap. "Ky-Kyoko? _Kyoko_?"

* * *

><p>Kyoko was falling through darkness, somersaulting and cart-wheeling through the endless emptiness. A small light seemed to appear from nowhere. Smiling slightly, she swam towards it. She was just about to reach it when something hard hit the back of her head and sent her spiraling downward again, deeper and deeper into the blackness.<p>

* * *

><p>"How is she?" Ren asked nervously.<p>

"Still unconscious, but I think she's coming around," the doctor, Yuuta, informed him apologetically. "The hit wasn't too bad, Tsuruga-san," he reminded him gently. "She just fainted from the shock of the blow. There's no bleeding, just a bump. Would you like to see her?"

He nodded, still looking a little pale, and walked into her room. She was lying on her bed with her arms stretched out on either side of her. The taisho was sitting on a chair in the corner of the room and shot him a look of distrust and resignation. Yuuta followed him into the room and noticed the taisho with some surprise.

"You're still here?" Jesus. What was with these men?

The taisho grunted his affirmative.

A light sigh escaped Kyoko's mouth. Both men stiffened and glanced at her.

Her shining golden eyes fluttered open and landed on Ren. She smiled coolly. "…Oh. Hello, Tsuruga-san, Taisho." She blinked, noticing the doctor. "And…?"

"Yuuta. Dr. Yuuta."

She nodded and smiled at him, taking this all in stride. "Doctor, huh? Nice to meet you." She stretched, arching her spine. "By the way, boys, what are you doing in a teenage girl's bedroom?" She winked at Yuuta. "Doesn't seem too proper."

Ren bristled. Something was definitely wrong. He shot a warning glance at Yuuta, but he didn't seem to be paying any attention to him. Natsu caught it though. She smiled to herself. How…_interesting_.

"Uh." Yuuta cleared his throat. "Mogami-san, you, uh, you fainted."

"Mm?" She considered this for a second. "Why?"

"You were acting for 'Box R' and there was an accident with some of the equipment. One of the lights came loose. It just barely hit you, but the blow was forceful enough to knock you out."

"…Really?" How boring. "Well, boys, I need to freshen up." She slid gracefully off of her bed and strode towards her closet (Ren's eyes flashed with recognition), then paused and raised an eyebrow at them. "Do you mind?" Blushing, they all exited the room.

The taisho was at an absolute loss. This wasn't the Kyoko he knew.

"It's—It's Natsu," Ren muttered hoarsely. The other two men turned to stare at him. "The character she plays in 'Box R.' It's like Natsu's come to life." He glanced at Yuuta. "Has this ever happened before?"

"Uh…no. Not that I know of. You're saying she's still acting as this character?"

"Yeah." And then, as if he was talking to himself, "At least, I think she's acting."

"In any case, do you think this Natsu is in any way dangerous?"

He shrugged. "I'm not sure. She's a bully, but that's just due to the circumstances within the drama. I don't know if she'd hurt anyone in the real world without being provoked. But Natsu is entirely different from Kyoko, and she's a lot more famous than she used to be. If anyone sees Kyoko like this, it might damage her reputation."

The doctor nodded solemnly. "Well, if that's the case, then she's just going to have to stay in the house until she snaps out of this…if she does."

Ren stiffened. "What do you mean 'if'?"

"Well, I don't know. I've never dealt with this sort of thing before. They always snap out of it in the movies though, don't they?" The smile died on his face at the look in Ren's eyes. "Uh, sorry, sorry. Calm down, alright? I think she'll be fine. In my opinion, someone that doesn't exist can't make their own decisions for very long. She'll probably slowly come back to herself. Just give her some time."

Ren nodded slowly. "Alright."

* * *

><p>"…What's with me?" Natsu wondered aloud, staring at the cheap clothes hanging in her closet. She was standing there in nothing but her bra and panties, half-hoping one of the guys would come in. "Who wears this stuff?" She closed the door to the closet and leaned against it, thinking. Then she remembered. Smiling, she crossed the room to her bed, reached underneath it, and pulled out a suitcase filled with sexy tops and leather pants. A little gothic, but hell, it was better than looking so <em>boring.<em> Her eyes fell on Setsuka's underwear, and something occurred to her.

Grinning wickedly, she slipped on Setsu's thong and bra, then wriggled into her leather pants. Opting for the least goth of Setsu's tops, she chose a dark magenta scoop-neck with half circle cut-outs on the shoulders and below the collar, revealing the bare skin beneath. She checked herself out in the mirror, turning so she could see her ass. …Much better than one of those stupid skirts. She smirked at her reflection and sauntered downstairs. The okami-san looked up and blushed furiously when she saw her outfit.

"Um, Ky-Kyoko, I'm sorry. Y-you can't go anywhere dressed like that."

Natsu frowned. "Why?"

"Doctor's orders. Please Kyoko, go back to your room. You're still not feeling well."

Her eyes narrowed, but she knew who her enemies were and the okami-san was not one of them. She nodded slightly. "Alright," she agreed and walked back up to her room.

Once there, she opened her window and slid halfway out of it, straddling the windowsill. The breeze ruffled her hair. Grinning, she kicked off her high-heeled shoes and jumped stealthily out the window, landing perfectly on her feet. The grass felt warm and soft under her toes. Quickly, she slipped her shoes back on and glided away, headed towards the set of Bridge Rock.

* * *

><p><strong>Skip Beat! Marrying Challenge Rules:<strong>

**You have to write a story about Ren and Kyoko marrying!**

** I don't care for their reasons to do so,**

** they can marry because they were forced by certain people (Lory, Kanae,**  
><strong> Yashiro, Sho, Mogami Saena, etc.)<strong>

** or by different circumstances.**

** everything is allowed, go on, play dirty**

** but they aren't allowed to confess before the marriage!**

** though, I'm not mean, so it's ok for them to confess afterwards.**

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well, hopefully you liked the first chapter. I'm mostly just having fun with this. Please review!  
><strong>


	2. Chapter 2: Fun and Games

Chapter 2: Fun and Games

"Hikaru-san!" Natsu called, leaning against the brick wall of the hallway.

Hikaru turned and did a double-take. He gawked at her chest-hugging top and leather pants. "Oh, uh, is that you, Kyoko-chan? I thought you weren't coming to work today."

She giggled. "Oh, I'm not here for _work_." She walked towards him. "There's just someone here I have some _unfinished business_ with. Fuwa Sho is here, right?"

"Uh, yeah. He's in the dressing room Natsumi-san used last week. Do you want me to take you?"

"No. He's expecting me. Maybe next time, 'kay?" She winked and his heartbeat sped up. "See you." She flashed him a smile and strode away. He gazed after her, still unable to absorb that outfit.

* * *

><p>Sho was lounging on the black suede sofa in his dressing room, staring vacantly at the ceiling. He was wearing an open black leather jacket, revealing his bare chest, and a pair of faded gray jeans. There was a light knock at his door. Heaving a sigh, he sat up and slowly lumbered towards the door. His foot connected with something solid and heavy and he lurched forward. His hand fell on the handle and the door tore open. He fell head-long into the hallway, on top of someone. Feeling like a complete idiot, he pushed himself off of whoever it was so he could see their face. Natsu stared back at him.<p>

"Sho…." she noted, her face blank. "That hurt," she informed him.

"Oh, sorry Kyoko. What are you doing here?" he asked, standing up.

She stayed on the floor, lying on her back. Her eyes narrowed slightly and she put her hands behind her head, smiling at him alluringly. "How about you guess?" He stood completely still, too surprised to move. She sighed. "Too scared? Alright, will you let me come in?"

"Ky-Kyoko?" he stammered. She rolled her eyes and placed her hands on his shoulders. Grinning mischievously, she pushed him back into his room, using her foot to gently close the door behind them. He tripped over his shoe again and stumbled backwards. Taking advantage of his disorientation, Natsu pushed him back a little more so he was forced to sit on the couch with her in his lap. "Is something wrong, Sho? You look a little…_uncomfortable_," she observed, bringing her lips just inches from his and loosening his jeans. "How about I fix that?" she suggested in a whisper.

"Uh, hey, Kyoko—what—?" He leaned away from her but she followed him, forcing him to lie down with her straddling his waist in those tight leather pants, leaving no means of escape. Much to her amusement, he began to harden.

"What's the matter, Shotaro?" she purred, kissing the exposed skin under the button of his jeans. "Do you want"—she pressed her lips just above his belly button, and planted a trail of kisses up to the hollow of his collarbone—"a taste?" she breathed into the side of his neck. Warm shivers ran down his spine.

He moaned and reached for her, but she grabbed his hand and brought his palm to her lips. "Ah-ah-ah…." she chided. "I'm not just some easy girl you can pawn kisses from so casually, Sho. Not anymore." She kissed the center of his palm, then the inside of his wrist. "Do you want to see what I could do to you, little Sho?" she whispered, pushing her other hand down his pants. She began to rub him there, feeling him grow firmer and firmer.

He groaned. "Yes! Yes, I want to!"

She released his hand and leaned over him again, her lips slightly parted. "Then _beg._"

"Kyoko, please," he whimpered.

A dark smile playing at the corners of her mouth, she leaned in even further. As soon as his eyes closed, her lips darted to his cheek and planted a feathery kiss on his cheekbone. Laughing, she leaped off of him and over to the door. "Sorry, little Sho, but you're just too _plain_ and _boring_ for me," she informed him regretfully. Letting out another peal of laughter, she slipped out of the room, leaving a stunned and _very_ excited Sho behind.

"That was fun," she mused, walking down the hallway, "but I think I can do better." She smirked. "And I know just who with."

* * *

><p>Back at his modeling shoot, Ren sneezed.<p>

"You aren't getting a cold again, are you?" Yashiro asked nervously.

"No, of course not," he assured him, smiling easily.

"And you're sure you don't want to check on Kyoko?" He frowned at Ren's polite smile.

Ren nodded. It had been a long day and all he wanted to do was go back to his apartment and sleep. Besides, it was dangerous being around Kyoko when she was like this. "The doctor says the best thing we can do is give her some rest." Something about that did worry him, though. Natsu didn't seem like the type to rest.

The entire drive home he daydreamed about his bed. But when he opened the door to his apartment it became apparent that he wasn't going to be able to get much sleep.

A pair of leather pants was draped over his sofa and a girl's shirt lay crumpled on his floor. Shit. He recognized them. "Mo-mogami-san…?" he called hoarsely.

"In here, Tsuruga-san."

His mouth went dry. Her voice was coming from his room. "Mogami-san, you need to go home."

"Come and get me."

"Mogami-san…! I'm not going to play any games with you."

"Aw, what's the matter, Tsuruga-san? You sound a little _scared_," she goaded. "You're not going to stay out there all night, are you?"

As much as he hated to admit it, she had a point. He needed to get her back home before the okami-san noticed she was gone. It would cause trouble for both of them if anyone found out she was here…like this. He advanced towards the door. Steeling himself, he turned the knob and swung it open.

Natsu was lying on top of his bed in a lacy black bra and matching thong. Princess Rosa dangled from her neck, sparkling in the soft light. She noted the open hunger that rose into his dark eyes just a second before he could mask it. Hastily, he grabbed her shirt off the floor and tossed it to her. "Put some clothes on, please."

She considered the shirt for a moment, then set it aside and stood up, turning a 360 in front of him. "What's the matter, Tsuruga-san? Don't you like it?" His eyes wandered over her bare skin of their own accord, pausing to admire the curve of her breasts and smooth flatness of her stomach. "Hm…maybe you'd like it better if I took this thing off?" she mused, reaching for the clasp of her bra. In slow motion, he watched her gently unhook it. He couldn't breathe.

"Stop!" he yelped breathlessly, closing the distance between them and grabbing the open strap.

"Oh, would you like to do the honor?" she teased, but frowned when he didn't budge. "Tsuruga-san, don't be so boring. Let go." When he still didn't move she sighed and chose a different tactic. She leaned backwards, forcing him to let go of the back of her bra in order to keep her from falling. He grabbed onto her sides and her bra fluttered away from her breasts. He blushed furiously, not sure what to do.

"Mo-Mogami-san, please. You're sick. You're not thinking straight."

She laughed at the nervous look in his eyes and straightened herself. Once she was upright she slid the straps of her bra off of her arms and turned around to face him. It took all the willpower he had to keep his eyes from drifting over her near-naked body. "I feel fine," she informed him, smiling that evil smile. "Better than ever."

She took one of his hands and cupped it around her breast, then guided his mouth down to hers. He stood very still, not quite able to pull away, even when her tongue thrust between his lips. Her kisses were hard, urgent, hungry. Like she would devour him any second if he wasn't careful. "Kiss me back," she coaxed breathlessly. "Come on. You want to. Just kiss me back." She squeezed his hand around her breast and pressed herself up against him, molding herself into his body. She ran her hand down his stomach then set to work on his belt.

He pulled away. "Mogami-san, if you keep doing this I'm not going to be able to stop," he pleaded.

She grinned darkly. "That's the idea." She kissed him even more eagerly to the point where he began kissing her back almost out of self-defense. Then he was kissing her everywhere, running the tip of his tongue down her neck, over her nipples. His hands trailed down her back, caressed her breasts. She inhaled sharply. "Why, Tsuruga-san," she sighed, her breath tickling his neck, "you are a very naughty sempai." She laughed and laced her fingers into his hair. His pants formed a tent.

Greedily, he pulled off her thong and lifted her onto his bed. The sheets felt like water on her bare skin. "It's my first time so…be gentle." She yanked off his jeans and was about to do the same to his underwear, but he stopped her.

"No," he sighed. "It's not going to happen like this."

Her face froze. "What? Why?" She tried to pull him on top of her, but he gently pushed her away.

"You're not Mogami-san." He kissed her again, but without the urgency from before. It was only so he could remember what she tasted like in case he never got the chance again.

She smiled coolly. "I told you, I'm fine. Really Tsuruga-san, you over think things."

"Go home."

She wrapped her gloriously bare legs around his waist. "I'm not going anywhere."

He couldn't take this anymore. The Demon Lord broke through his polite mask and glared down at her. For the first time, Natsu actually felt fear. Slowly, she released him and stood up. "I didn't really want to fuck you anyway," she informed him coldly, snatching up her bra and panties and walking out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

Ren rolled his eyes and covered his face with his hands. She'd better not have been doing this with all kinds of guys today. He doubted they'd have had the same level of self-control.

* * *

><p>A woman with straight black hair and piercing brown eyes watched Natsu stride out of Ren's apartment building in her leather pants and sexy top. Grinning greedily, the woman snapped three pictures of the young actress and darted away quickly before Natsu could notice.<p>

Looked like she was going to get her raise after all.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: This may or may not be the only chapter that really needs the "M" rating. I haven't decided yet. Haha, don't you just love Natsu?**


	3. Chapter 3: Aftershock

**Disclaimer: By the way, I don't own Skip Beat or any of its characters. Just so everyone's clear...**

* * *

><p>Chapter 3: Aftershock<p>

Kyoko's eyes blinked open. She stared blankly at the ceiling for several seconds before finally saying, "…What happened?"

No one was in the room to answer her. She remembered being in the middle of a scene for 'Box R' and then there was nothing except for this strange, erotic dream she'd had. She blushed furiously, her mind conjuring up the fuzzy image of Ren's mouth on her breast. She couldn't believe she'd even dreamed something like that.

Shakily, she managed to get out of bed, realizing much to her puzzlement that she was in Setsu's pajamas, and change into her own clothes. She ran a brush through her hair (wincing as she suddenly noticed a sore bruise on the right side of her head) and stumbled downstairs, hoping the okami-san might have some answers for her.

"Good morning, okami-san," she greeted the cheerful, slightly older woman, bowing.

"Oh, Kyoko-chan! You're back to yourself again!" the woman sighed, relieved. "Thank God!"

She blinked. "What?"

The okami-san explained everything that happened the day before. "…Then you went back to your room and didn't come out until now. I'm pretty sure you were sleeping."

That would explain the dream. "I must've been really tired. I thought I dreamed everything about waking up yesterday, but I only dreamed half of it."

"Well, at least you're feeling better. Here, I'll make you some breakfast and you can take it easy all day."

"…What time is it?"

"Ten o'clock."

"What? I need to get back to work! Sorry! Thanks very much!" She bowed deeply and almost ran out of the house, ignoring the throbbing of her head.

* * *

><p>Kyoko walked happily down the hallway of LME. She heard Ren was going to be in the building today and was hoping to get to see him, even if she wasn't exactly sure how she was going to look him in the eye after the dream she'd had last night. Even if she didn't see him, she had a meeting with Sawara to talk about some new jobs. Despite her dull headache, she was glad to be back to work.<p>

"Mo-Mogami-san?"

At the sound of Ren's voice, her heart started racing. She turned around, hoping that from this distance he wouldn't notice the pink tinge to her cheeks. "Oh, good morning, Tsuruga-san," she greeted him, smiling.

"Are you…feeling better?"

"Yes, thank you."

…So she didn't remember anything from yesterday. He wasn't sure whether he should be relieved or nervous. "Good. The president wants to see us in his office," he added apologetically.

"Oh." Her mind flashed to a few years ago, when he'd requested them to act as Setsu and Cain. Maybe he'd have another job like that for them. "Okay," she agreed, smiling, and walked with him to the elevator.

But when they got to the president's office, Lory was frowning slightly. He was sitting at his desk (something he rarely ever did) with two chairs opposite him. "Sit, you two." Glancing at each other apprehensively, they both took a seat. Lory grabbed a tabloid and set it down in front of them. The front page was a crystal-clear shot of Kyoko walking out of Ren's apartment building wearing leather pants and a sexy top. The caption read, "Young actress vying for male attention?" and next to it was a list of actors that lived in the apartment building, including Ren. Kyoko froze and paled, unable to look at Ren. …She remembered this.

"Ren, can _either_ of you explain to me why Kyoko was seen leaving your apartment in Setsu's clothes?"

Kyoko swallowed hard, not sure what to say. Lucky for her, Ren answered. "Mogami-san, you probably don't even remember. You know she was in that accident on the set of 'Box R,' President. I was there when she woke up, and she was stuck acting as Natsu. She was like that the whole day. And…Natsu thought it would be fun to…hang out with me."

Her brain stopped working. She stared at a spot on Lory's desk, unmoving. Oh God. Oh _God_. It actually _happened._ Everything…. A montage of kisses and caresses raced behind her eyes. Her cheeks were on fire.

Lory sighed dramatically. "You know how this looks don't you?" Kyoko cringed. "Even if you both try to explain what happened, there's going to be a good percentage of people that won't believe you and won't like that you're lying. Kyoko, you've gotten very popular in the last few years, but people still don't know much about you yet because you're so different from your characters that you don't draw attention to yourself. Do you want the first thing people find out about you to be a scandal?"

She shook her head furiously.

"Then it's settled. You'll go out with Ren."

Her head whipped up and they both stiffened. "President, what will that help?" Ren quickly protested.

Kyoko didn't look at him. …Of course he'd be upset about going out with her. He wouldn't want to go out with some random kohai that—that—did _that_ yesterday.

"If you're dating, it'll make sense that she'd be leaving your apartment. You can say you were keeping a low profile because you didn't want much drama, but you're glad that you can finally let everyone know how in love you both are. Plus, if you don't get it out there that you're a couple, the paparazzi might pair her with someone else. And then we'll have _that_ whole mess to deal with, especially if they're someone very unflattering. If it's you, Ren, it might even up her reputation." He paused, considering. "Although it might make a few girls want to kill her."

"…A _few_?" she managed, thinking of all of his screaming fans.

"President, don't joke around," Ren sighed.

Lory chuckled at Ren's murderous expression. "Alright, alright. Kyoko, you have a meeting with Sawara in a few minutes, right?" She nodded. "Then you can go." He smiled kindly at her tense expression. "Don't worry so much." She nodded again and left his office.

"So," Lory continued, turning back to Ren, "why the hell didn't you tell me about this?" he demanded, grinning. "She _came _to your_ apartment _like _that?_ What happened?"

"I already told you, she was stuck acting as Natsu."

"_So_? Ren, a little bit of yourself goes into every character you make. If Natsu wanted to go over there and she ended up going over there, Kyoko must have been okay with it too."

He shook his head. "Natsu's too different from Kyoko. I don't think she has anything in common with her."

Lory rolled his eyes. "I guess if that's what you're going to think, that's what you're going to think. But what happened?"

"…Nothing."

"Yeah. Right. We both know Natsu isn't the type to do nothing."

Ren shrugged. "I wasn't going to let her put Kyoko in such an embarrassing position, so she didn't get very far."

Lory nodded slowly, considering this. "That's good. Do you think she remembers anything?"

"No."

"…I do. She looked like a deer in headlights when you said Natsu came to your apartment."

"She was too normal earlier. If she remembered…." he trailed off, not wanting to go any further in that direction.

Lory raised his eyebrows, clearly shocked. "She went _that far_ and you still don't think Kyoko was okay with it?"

"President, it's not possible."

He sighed. "Well, it's probably a good thing I'm making you two go out. Otherwise you'd never see how one feels about the other."

"That's the _only_ reason you're making us go out," Ren pointed out.

He feigned hurt. "Of course not! It would be terrible for poor Kyoko's reputation if they thought she'd go out with just _anyone_!"

Ren gave him a look, but knew it was no use arguing. He had too much to worry about now anyway.


	4. Chapter 4: Hazy Night

Chapter 4: Hazy Night

"Um, Tsuruga-san. H-hello," Kyoko said, not stepping outside the doorframe. Her hair was pulled out of her face and her shirt was covered in flour. "I was—I've been cooking," she explained, flushing, and beating the flour out of her shirt. He smiled.

"Sorry to intrude. It's just that the president wanted us to go on a few dates to get the word out that we're dating. And I was wondering if you'd like to go on one now."

She blinked. Over all the years that she'd daydreamed what it might be like to go on a date with Ren, this was not at all what she'd imagined. For a second, she considered closing the door and walking back up to her room, pretending that this hadn't ever happened.

Instead she said, "Tsuruga-san, you don't have to do this. I don't want to bother you."

He softened. "You're no bother at all," he promised. "Go get changed. We'll have fun."

Her heart thudded hard in her chest. She answered his smile before she could help herself. "Okay," she agreed shyly. "Um, I'll only be a second. Please come in."

Hesitantly, he stepped into her house. "Oh, Tsuruga-san! Nice to see you again," the okami-san greeted him warmly. He could suddenly feel a headache coming on.

Kyoko padded quickly up the stairs and pulled on the first outfit she laid hands on. She glanced in the mirror and was immediately cast into despair by her plainness. Hastily, she dabbed on as much makeup as she could, outlining her eyes and adding color to her lips. She still didn't look anything like someone who could go out with Tsuruga-san, but at least she looked a little better. She went back downstairs and caught Ren glancing nervously from the heated stare of the taisho and the almost unnerving sweetness of the okami-san. She was acting like Ren was her future son-in-law or something.

"Um, I'm ready to go," Kyoko managed.

"Oh." He smiled at her again, making her heart stop. "Then shall we?"

She nodded, turning a little pink, and followed him out of the Darumaya.

* * *

><p>"Um, Tsuruga-san? Why are we here?" They were parked in front of a bar. It was clean, brick, and there were only a few neon signs hanging outside. A classy bar, but a bar all the same.<p>

"Some models I know like to hang out here. I figured it's as good a place as any to get the word out that we're dating." Plus, he could really use a drink. "Oh, and we should probably call each other by first names. Nobody's going to think we're going out if you don't even call me Ren."

She blushed. "O-oh. Okay. But, Ren? I don't drink."

"You're twenty now, right? So it's legal. They serve soda here too so you can have that if you don't want to have any alcohol."

Still a little uncertain, she unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car.

Inside, the place pulsed and pounded. Groups of people gathered around pitchers of frothing, golden beer, shouting over the music. All kinds of models, singers, actors, and actresses, laughed and hooted in the multi-colored light. They were all so beautiful. Kyoko felt as plain as ever.

A tall, blond woman with sparkling green eyes noticed Ren walk in and smiled coyly. "Hey there, Ren. Want to have a drink with us?"

Say no. God, please, _say no_. There was no way these people would believe he was going out with her. Not when he could be going out with someone like _that._

He casually slung his arm around Kyoko's shoulders. Her heart leaped at his touch. "Sure," he called, and strode through the bar. Kyoko closed her eyes for a moment. She could do this. She could do this. She opened her eyes and saw that beautiful girl staring at Ren again. The girl was holding a martini, looking elegant and grown up…everything Kyoko wasn't. …Maybe she should get a martini after all.

A few more martinis and several less models later, Kyoko was finally starting to relax. She was almost sorry his friends had to leave early since they had a shoot the next morning.

"You're not drunk, are you?" Ren asked cautiously, noticing the strange aura coming off of her.

She laughed a little harder than necessary. "_No_. I'm not _drunk._" Her words slurred together.

He chuckled. "Oh, of course not. I don't know why I even thought you were." He gulped down what was left of his beer and asked for another. His head was buzzing warmly, but he figured another beer was safe.

"Hey, do you think I'm pretty?" she asked, studying him very seriously.

He took a swig of his beer and gazed at her for a second. "Yeah, Kyoko. You're…beautiful."

She frowned deeply. "But you…you think that other girl's prettier…." she muttered, staring at the counter.

His eyebrows pulled together. "Who?"

"I…dunno. She wanted you to sit with her."

"Oh, Mizuki-san? "

She let her forehead fall to the counter with a hard thunk. "Sure," she said to the polished wood. "_Mizuki-san_."

"You are _so_ drunk," he observed, grinning.

"_You_ are."

He laughed out loud. "Kyoko, I don't even _like_ Mizuki-san."

"She likes you."

"And I like you." The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.

She propped herself up on her elbow and glared at him. "I don't mean like _that_."

He knocked his forehead against hers, an amused smile twitching up the corners of his mouth. "Neither do I." Her breath smelled like liquor.

Her eyes widened with shock. Then she giggled. "Yeah yado."

"I don't," he insisted, taking another gulp of beer.

She leaned towards him and studied him suspiciously. "That's mean, Tsuruga-san. …I mean…Ren."

He laughed again. "I'm not making fun of you. I'm telling the truth."

"I don't…believe you. Prove it."

"How?"

There was a moment of silence when she tried desperately to think, but her brain wouldn't put things together properly. She was about to give up when her eyes fell on a black-and-white picture of the owner's wife in her wedding dress. "Marry me," she ordered. She was kidding…sort of.

He blinked. There was definitely a reason why he couldn't do that…but…he couldn't seem to remember what it was. He loved Kyoko, they were going out, and she wanted to get married. Why not? "Okay, let's go."

Her eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yep. Come on."

"Okay," she agreed happily and stumbled after him, out of the bar.

* * *

><p>"Which ring do you want?" Ren asked, gesturing at the sparkling insides of the expensive jewelry store. Her eyes glimmered with awe.<p>

Her gaze landed on a ring in the middle of the display case in front of her. It was brushed just slightly with pink, and the band was silver with delicate rose leaves surrounding the gorgeous stone. The label read, "Rose Diamond." "So beautiful…." she breathed.

"You want it?"

She turned to him, not sure if she could believe it. "You're…really gonna marry me?"

"Of course."

She giggled. "Yeah. Then it's gotta be this ring."

* * *

><p>"…Do you, Kyoko Mogami, take Ren Tsuruga to be your husband, to have and to hold for as long as you both shall live?" a man wearing a cheap suit with sleeves too short for him, asked.<p>

She grinned at Ren and tightened her grip on the three flowers they'd picked on the way there. "Yeah."

"And do you, Ren Tsuruga, take Kyoko Mogami to be your wife, to have and to hold for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

"Then you may kiss the bride."

And he did.

They laughed and talked for most of the drive home.

"D'you…y'know…love me?" Kyoko asked.

"Yeah."

"Oh my God! I love you, too!" she exclaimed, the way teenage girls freak out when they find out about _such_ an _awesome_ coincidence. "I'm…really glad…." Her eyelids started to feel heavy.

"Me too." He glanced at her and chuckled. She was fast asleep, leaning her head against the window of the car. "Aren't you even a little excited?" he teased, parking the car and walking around it. He unbuckled her seatbelt, lifted her out of the car, and carried her up to his room.

"Mmm…Ren?" she murmured as he laid her down on the right side of his bed.

"You're awake?"

"I'm not gonna remember...any…of this…t'morrow…am I?"

He laughed softly. "Probably not." Frankly, he wasn't sure if he would either.

"…That's too bad. It was fun today…marrying you."

"Yeah. It was."

"Mmhmmm. G'night."

"Good night, Kyoko."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry if there was any OOC-ness in this chapter. It's surprisingly difficult to depict Kyoko drunk without feeling like I'm being over the top. Thanks to everyone who reviewed. ^^**


	5. Chapter 5: Salvaged Memories

Chapter 5: Salvaged Memories

Kyoko awoke to a pounding headache and an odd sense of security. She turned onto her side, hoping she'd be able to sleep away the throbbing of her head, but before she could even think about falling asleep, she heard something coming from outside her room. Strange…it sounded like someone was cooking. Even though the okami-san cooked breakfast every morning, she couldn't ever hear it because the kitchen was downstairs. The only sound that ever floated up to her room was the TV. But the TV wasn't on this morning.

Once that element registered, a few more began to surface. This bed was much softer than hers. It felt like she was floating on a cloud. …And she wasn't in her pajamas. …And she still had Princess Rosa around her neck, cutting curvy red lines into her skin.

Curiosity finally overpowering her drowsiness, she opened her eyes. The room was dimly lit by a sliver of light coming in from the hallway, but even that was enough for her to tell that this wasn't a room anywhere in the Darumaya. It was too large, and the bed was much bigger than any she'd ever seen. Except for….

She froze. Except for at Tsuru—Ren's house.

She sat up quickly and immediately her headache intensified. She pressed her hand against her forehead, futilely trying to ease the pain, and felt a band of metal around her left ring finger. But she didn't own any rings.

Moving much slower this time, she slid off of the bed and headed towards the door, trying desperately to remember anything about last night. Ren came to pick her up…they went to a bar…there was a girl there…. And that was it. Well, that and several hundred martinis.

She groaned. How _embarrassing!_

As quietly as possible, she opened the door and slipped into the hall, more than a little apprehensive about facing Ren. The hinge creaked just slightly and he looked up.

"Oh, good morning Kyoko. Want some breakfast?"

It took her a second to get over hearing him say her name. "Um, yes—I mean…." the room started spinning and she leaned against the wall for support, holding her head in her hands. "Oh…."

He chuckled. "Hung over, are we? Come here." He patted the couch and sat a steaming mug of something on the table in front of it. Still a little dizzy, she managed to make it to the couch and take a sip of the tea and noticed two pills beside it. She glanced at him questioningly. "They're for your head," he explained, and she popped them into her mouth.

"Um, what exactly…happened last night?" she asked, staring guiltily at the carpet.

"I'm not sure…. It's all pretty fuzzy." Apparently he'd gotten just a little tipsier than he'd expected. There was the bar…and Kyoko getting drunk…. As hard as he tried, he couldn't remember how they got back to his apartment, or ended up in the same bed. They'd both still had their clothes on so he figured nothing happened, but he kept worrying at it in the back of his mind.

She blinked. "You can't remember anything?"

"Ah, I guess I must've got a little drunk too."

That made her feel a little better. She took another drink of tea and caught something sparkling out of the corner of her eye. Oh, that was right, she had a ri—

She gawked at the obviously expensive stone—no…diamond. Shit. She looked up at Ren, horrified.

His eyebrows pulled together at her expression, and then he noticed the ring too. For a second, they were both absolutely still, frozen by their own shock and panic. Finally, he spoke. "…Oh."

Oh indeed.

* * *

><p>"I let you guys go out with each other for one night and you get <em>married<em>?" Lory exclaimed, staring at the two with a mixture of horror and amazement.

They just looked back at him with equally guilty expressions. Ren cleared his throat and managed, "How bad is this?"

Lory gave him a look. "It depends on how we're going to tell the public. It would be better for you if you didn't get divorced right away, but that would mean staying in the same house, and generally acting like a married couple. Can you guys do that?" He appeared doubtful.

The last thing Kyoko wanted to do was mess up Ren's reputation because of a scandal that happened because of her own stupidity. She nodded. "We can do that," she agreed quickly.

Lory and Ren both gawked at her. "You know that would mean you'd have to live with Ren for several months, right? Until this whole thing blows over and you can get a divorce without anyone really noticing."

Her heart pounded. "Yeah."

"Well, then, it's settled," he decided, beaming. "Now, you two love birds go on. I've got a preacher to bribe before he sells this story to the press."

Ren and Kyoko walked out of his office and were about to go their separate ways when Kyoko grabbed Ren's wrist. "I-I'm sorry. The president didn't ask if you were okay with it."

He smiled down at her. "I am. You can move in tonight. I'll pick you up at seven, okay?"

She blinked. Was it…really okay? "O-okay." She smiled back at him and walked away, wondering what she was supposed to tell the okami-san and taisho.

Ren heaved a sigh and went off to join Yashiro.

* * *

><p>"Kyoko-san…you're moving in with him?" the okami-san asked, looking completely shocked.<p>

She blushed furiously. "Well, um, we've been dating for a few years now. We just had to keep it a secret because of the paparazzi."

"How come he never came over here until last night?"

"Um, he's so busy that, uh…." NO! SHE WAS SUCH A HORRIBLE LIAR! "And we had to be so careful to keep it a secret that we'd usually just grab lunch together or something. But…we're sick of doing that, which is why he came here yesterday, and then we decided to just go ahead and move in together."

"Well…I suppose you are twenty now," she reasoned, still a little concerned. The taisho's face was like a thunder cloud.

"Yes."

Finally, the older woman smiled. "Alright, let me help you pack. It's been very nice to have you around over the years."

"Th-thank you."

All of her clothes and cosmetics fit easily into one suitcase (okay, two, counting the suitcase with all of Setsu's old clothes that she never could quite throw away). They were about to go downstairs when she remembered something important. "Oh! Almost forgot!" She sped across the room and pulled a gold folder and a small coin purse out from under her bed. "Okay. We can go." Smiling, she picked up her suitcase and walked downstairs, the okami-san lugging the other one behind her.

Just as they got to the bottom of the steps, the doorbell rang. "Hello, Ren. Good timing," she greeted him.

He saw both of the girls struggling with the suitcases and quickly took them from them. "Is this all?" he asked.

She nodded and turned to the couple that had taken such good care of her all this time. "Thanks," she managed, and hugged them both. Surprising everyone but the okami-san, the taisho hugged her back the hardest.

"Be good, Kyoko," the okami-san ordered good-naturedly while the taisho shot daggers at Ren with his eyes.

She smiled. "Of course. Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

As they were driving to his apartment he noticed she was still holding a folder. "What's in there?"

"Oh. Um…." Blushing, she opened it, revealing a pressed version of Queen Rosa. "I couldn't just throw her away," she explained. "And this is Corn." She opened the purse and pulled the small stone out to show him. Unintentionally, she used her left hand and the ring caught the corner of his eye.

He smiled. "Princess Rosa matches your ring," he noted.

"…I know. It's so pretty," she marveled, holding the ring up to catch the light before she remembered. "But, uh, it's okay if you want to return it after all this. I mean, it's a lot of money for nothing."

Well, he was used to her stabbing him in the heart by now. "No. It looks good on you."

Her blush deepened. "Tha-thank you."

They walked in silence up to his apartment. Once there, he set the suitcases down and said, "I guess you should take the guest room, right?"

"Yes!" she agreed adamantly. She could never sleep next to Ren (just the idea set her cheeks aflame) and besides that, she still felt guilty for the whole Natsu thing…and the marrying thing…. "Um, thanks for being so nice about this. I know it's all my fault."

One side of his mouth quirked up and he gently kissed her forehead. "We can share the blame." He grinned at the stunned look on her face. "Okay?"

"…Yeah. Okay." She managed a smile back and staggered to the guest room, too flustered to remember her suitcases.


	6. Chapter 6: Month 1: Part 1

Chapter 6: Month 1: Part 1

When Ren woke up the smell of food was filling his apartment. He smiled to himself and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, then stepped into the shower. He walked into the kitchen in a pair of jeans with a towel draped over his bare shoulders.

"What are you cooking?" he asked, running a hand through his wet hair.

She glanced up at his voice, took in his appearance, and immediately looked back at the eggs. "Er, scrambled eggs and, uh, bacon."

He leaned over her shoulder, dripping water droplets onto her neck. Tingles ran down her spine. "Looks good," he noted and strode over to one of the cabinets. "Need any help?"

"N-no, that's okay. Cooking for you is the least I can do." Plus, she doubted her heart could take it.

He grinned. "I'd like to help. Here, I'll fry the bacon." He pulled a frying pan out of the cabinet above her, his bicep brushing the back of her head, and set it on the stove.

"Um…thank you."

"I should probably tell you…." he trailed off.

"Hm? What is it?"

"Never mind. It's not important." He knew it was stupid not to tell her, but it couldn't hurt to put it off jut a little longer.

Her eyebrows pulled together and she looked up despite herself, her eyes searching. "Is everything…okay?"

He smiled to set her at ease. "Yeah. Don't worry about it."

Happy for the chance to pull her eyes away from the brilliance of his smile, she went back to scrambling the eggs. "Um, the president wants us to hang out a lot today…so, you know, the paparazzi will see us."

"Sure. What do you want to do?"

"Oh, no! Really, I've inconvenienced you enough. Wherever you'd like to go is fine."

"Hmmm…we could take a walk? The public would be able to see us together, and we both like the outdoors so it would be fun for both of us."

"That sounds good," she agreed happily. She knew it was wrong and would only hurt her, but she was starting to think this whole marriage thing wasn't so bad. It was nice to be able to hang out with Ren casually like this…and call him Ren…and stay in his house. It _was wrong_ to think like this but…it was really, really nice. "Oh, and I'm going to meet up with Maria today. I was wondering, since she likes you so much—sorry, you're probably busy but maybe if you could just…."

"I actually don't have that many jobs today. You want me to come with you to see Maria?"

She kept her eyes down, scraping the eggs onto two plates. "Well, if it wouldn't be too much trouble."

"No trouble at all."

She beamed. "Maria will really like that. She hasn't seen you for a few weeks."

"Why are you meeting up with her?"

"Well…I guess she has something to give me."

* * *

><p>Kyoko walked distractedly past restaurants and shops. Ren told her he was going to be a little late, which meant he was busy after all. Which meant he must've been just too nice to admit that she was inconveniencing him by asking. Which meant—"ONEE-CHAAAAN!" Maria shrieked, appearing out of nowhere and lunging into Kyoko's arms.<p>

"Maria! Nice to see you!" Kyoko yelped, laughing and stumbling backwards on the sidewalk.

After a second, Maria pulled away and grinned up at Kyoko. Her long, wavy hair hung around her shoulders, shining like gold in the sunlight. "Here!" She held out a box wrapped in princess-themed paper.

"Thank you, Maria. But what is this for?" she asked, accepting the box.

"I wanted to be the first to congratulate Onee-chan."

Kyoko blinked. "For…what?"

"On being nominated for an Oscar for Natsu. Best actress in a television drama." She giggled at Kyoko's stunned expression. "You didn't know? Grandfather told me this morning."

As this sank in, a slow smile bloomed on her face. "Really?" she breathed. "An Oscar!" she cried, hugging Maria and spinning her around. "That's wonderful!"

"Put me down, Onee-chan! You have to open it!" Maria squealed through fits of giggles. Kyoko set her down and knelt in front of her so they were at eye level. Smiling from ear to ear, she gently tore away the wrapping paper, revealing a box containing two candles. "Light the green one in front of the picture of the person you want to have a better relationship with, the pink one in front of a picture of the person you want to fall in love with you, the white one in front of the picture of the person you want to have good fortune, and light the black one in front of the picture of the person you want to have bad luck."

She gasped, her eyes sparkling with the possibilities. "Maria…!"

"Isn't it perfect? I thought it'd be just right for Onee-chan!"

"Thank you!" She looked up and spotted Ren smiling down at them. "Ah. You came…."

Maria turned and shrieked. "REN-SAMA!" She tackled him almost instantaneously.

"Hello, Maria," he chuckled. "You look very pretty today."

She blushed. "Thank you."

He glanced at Kyoko. "What did you get?"

"Um, Maria gave me some cursed candles," she admitted, smiling.

"Ah." Well. "That was nice of her." At least, he assumed so.

Eventually, the president came by to pick Maria up. He grinned at Ren and Kyoko. "You two seem to be getting along well." Kyoko turned beet red.

Maria's eyebrows pulled together. "Grandfather, what do you…?" Her eyes fell on Kyoko's ring. "Wait…what…?"

Ren smiled at her kindly. "Kyoko and I are married."

"Onee-chan and…Ren-sama?" Her face was absolutely blank. Ren and Kyoko stood very still, not sure what to do.

"Oh, Maria I'm sor—" Kyoko began, but Maria cut her off with a loud wail.

"Ren-sama was supposed to marry me!" she informed them bitterly. She turned on Kyoko. "You tricked me! I hate you!" she shouted, wrenching the car door open and disappearing inside.

"Sh-she…hates me?" Kyoko repeated, frozen. She began to laugh darkly. "Serves me right for all this. No good ever comes from love," she muttered. "And there I'd actually started to think—"

"Don't worry, Kyoko, Maria will come around," Lory assured her, desperately trying to keep her from talking to herself so creepily. "She's just a little upset right now. She's so good at scaring people away from Ren, but you befriended her so she just didn't see it coming. I'm sure once she thinks everything over, she'll be glad you married each other."

Kyoko blinked. "But, then won't that make it even worse when we have the divorce?"

Lory sighed. Really, all these years and this girl hadn't changed a bit! "Never mind. See you two later." Shaking his head, he climbed into the car and drove off.

She glanced at Ren, who was still recovering from her most recent blow. "Do you think the president is feeling okay?"

"Hm? Yeah, I think so. Ready for our walk?"

"Um, yeah, okay," she agreed, still a little confused, and followed him.

He led her to a park a few blocks away, surrounded by sakura trees in full bloom. "By the way, congratulations."

She blinked. "You knew?"

"Yeah. I figured that's what Maria wanted to talk to you about, so I kept my mouth shut," he admitted, grinning.

She smiled back at him. "Oh." A golden retriever bounded over to them and tackled Kyoko from behind. She grabbed Ren's shoulders for support and pushed him down with her, falling onto his chest with the dog standing quite proudly on her back. For a second, she was too stunned to react, but then she saw the shocked expression on Ren's face and giggled. "I-I'm sorry. It's not funny. It's not. I didn't knock the wind out of you, did I?"

"Um…." he wheezed, still struggling to breathe under the combined weight of her and the rather chubby dog. "I'll be okay." After all, this wasn't so bad.

She laughed again, making her golden eyes dance and tickling his cheeks with her hair. She smelled like flowers and amber. "I'm sorry," she repeated.

His eyes lowered to her lips. "It's okay," he whispered, bringing his head closer to hers. She stopped breathing.

Apparently happy to hear this, the dog began to eagerly lick Ren's face. "Oh!" Kyoko giggled. "Hey, wait a second, dog! Leave him alone!"

"Bokuyo! Get over here right now!" a female voice called sternly, and the dog reluctantly climbed off of their backs. "I'm very sorry!" she shouted to them.

"No problem!" Ren replied weakly, giving a thumbs-up to her general direction.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," Kyoko repeated, peeling herself off of him and offering him her hand. He accepted it and pulled himself up as she continued. "The dog pushed me and I just reacted. I didn't mean to—"

"Kyoko." She stopped. "I told you it's okay," he assured her.

She blushed and looked at the ground. "Sorry," she muttered.

"You don't have to apologize so much," he told her, taking her hand and twining his fingers with hers. Her pulse quickened.

She tried desperately to find something to talk about. Her eyes travelled to the dog—Bokuyo, running around with his owner. "I used to really want a dog."

Yeah. Come to think of it, he remembered that. It must've come up at some point when she thought he was Corn. He smiled slightly. "Really?"

She looked away again, embarrassed. "I guess I was a pretty lonely kid. We couldn't have any pets at the Darumaya though, so I never got one."

He nodded, thinking. "Maybe you'll get one someday," he suggested.

She seemed doubtful. "Yeah. Maybe. Someday." They fell back into silence, giving her nothing to focus on but the warmth and size of his hand. "Um…what jobs do you have today?"

"There's a modeling shoot this afternoon and then I have to do a few scenes for 'Rosewood.' I should be done around eight."

"Me too."

"Are you starting the filming for 'Paper Boats'?"

'Paper Boats' was the third movie she'd ever been in, but in this one she played the lead's best friend. She was really glad that she was finally getting out of the mean roles and starting to do some nice ones too. "Yeah. And I have Bridge Rock around six."

"Oh yeah. What do you do there anyway?"

She froze. All this time, and she'd never once had to tell him she was Bo. And _now_ he was going to find her out? _Now_? "Er…nothing important."

"I'm curious. You've been working there for a long time, right?"

"Um…yes."

"So what do you do? Now that you're a more popular actress, you wouldn't have to work there anymore if it's unimportant."

"I'm…uh…." She was a terrible liar and she knew it. If she lied to him right now, the Demon Lord would emerge and that was the last thing she needed. "I'm Bo," she admitted in a small voice.

It was his turn to freeze up. No, no, he couldn't act weird yet. There was no reason to assume that she was the Bo he talked to. That Bo was clearly a man. He needed to just play it safe for now. "Hm. Is there someone else who performs Bo with you?" He kept his voice steady and casual, his expression only mildly curious, but his grip tightened on her hand without him realizing it.

She cringed. "…No."

His hand clenched even tighter and she winced. Finally noticing what he was doing, he guiltily relaxed his grip. "So…you know," he stated matter-of-factly.

Her mind raced as she tried to pinpoint which confession he'd made that would still make him act so strangely. "That you…?" She remembered when he was having trouble with Katsuki and her heart plummeted to the pit of her stomach. Steeling herself, she managed, "That you have a girl you like?"

He studied her closely. "Do you know who she is?"

"Who she is?" She laughed darkly. "I didn't even think you still liked her. And there I thought I knew you so well. Turns out I've troubled you much more than I thought." He still liked this mystery girl after all this time, and now he was stuck married to his kohai. This had to be so painful for him.

"Kyoko. Kyoko!" His voice roused her from the darkness of her thoughts. "You need to stop worrying so much." He smiled at her reassuringly.

She smiled back, more to please him than anything else. Ren was so kind…. She hadn't meant to take advantage of that. But she was still glad it was her that was holding his hand.


End file.
